


friends who lie

by broadway_hufflepuff



Series: friends & flowers [4]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Abusive Neil Hargrove, Billy Hargrove Being an Asshole, Even though this fic is after season three... you know, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Maxine "Max" Mayfield & Mike Wheeler Friendship, Mike Wheeler Loves Eleven | Jane Hopper, More of the same trope I always use, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:21:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21578251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/broadway_hufflepuff/pseuds/broadway_hufflepuff
Summary: Mike shows up to Max's house with a proposal: a fresh start.
Relationships: Maxine "Max" Mayfield & Mike Wheeler
Series: friends & flowers [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1535951
Comments: 10
Kudos: 38





	friends who lie

**Author's Note:**

> This * Is * Trash.  
> It's also like the same fic I always write and based off of, like, one million Max & Mike friendship fics I've read.
> 
> ***As you know, I LOVE this FRIENDSHIP.
> 
> All characters are from Stranger Things on Netflix.
> 
> As usual, please don't repost!  
> Enjoy!

It happened at the worst possible time.

The Mayfield-Hargrove family, if you could even call it that, was in the middle of their dinner.

"That _boy_ of mine," Neil growled, shoveling beef into his mouth, "He's been gone _too long._ Hasn't picked up his sister from school-"

"Really," Max interjected, "I'm okay to skate home."

Neil blinked at her. "Girls don't skate."

Max felt something bubble in her throat, scorching anger.

Susan tensed and cleared her throat. "Maxine, honey. He's just worried."

 _Yeah,_ thought Max, _he's_ definitely _worried. About the son he's abused so much that now he's just a lump of clay Neil formed into a version of himself._

"I don't think he's coming home," said Max quietly. She was sick of not being able to tell them- sick of having to go through things _alone_ \- sick of Billy being...

_Dead._

"He had _better_ or so help me..." Neil was pissed. He spoke only through clenched teeth and his fist was curled around his glass. His voice had escalated to a slight shout. 

There was a knock on Max's door.

Susan's fork froze halfway to her mouth. "Who-"

"I'll get it!" Max jumped up. _Anything_ to get away from this table. 

Before Susan or Neil could protest, Max skated (just to make a point, she literally _skate_ boarded to the front door).

"Hello?" She swung it open. 

Mike looked at her sheepishly. "Uh, hey."

"Wheeler?" Max hissed. She could still hear Neil yelling, so she added "Let me come outside."

Mike frowned, hearing the echoes of the dinner conversation. "Is everything alright in there?"

Max forced a grin. "Amazing." Closing the door behind her, she stepped onto the porch. "So. What's going on?"

"I wanted to talk to you. Since, well. El moved. And Will. And-"

Max crossed her arms. "And you have no other friends so you finally want to make up with me, huh?"

Mike flinched. "Look. I'm sorry, okay? I was a piece of shit to you. I _know_. But... I want to be friends. _Eleven_ wanted us to be friends."

At the mention of her best friends name, Max winced. "Mike, I know you miss her."

Mike sighed. "And I know you miss her too, yeah? So here's my idea."

Max tilted her head, hair swishing. She shifted her feet. "Shoot for it."

"Don't laugh at me," he warned, smiling nervously, "But what if we kinda... I don't know, helped each other through it? I mean. You and I... we've been through a lot. And I know Lucas and Dustin aren't always around."

"You want... to be friends."

Mike looked hopeful. "Yes. I know how I sound. But, Max, I... I need this, alright? A friendship who was almost as close to El as me?"

Max grinned. "Wheeler... did you just say you _needed_ me?"

"Shove off," Mike grumbled. But he extended his hand. "Do we have a deal?"

Max stretched out her arm. "Okay. Deal, I guess. But I'm not listening to your sappy girl problems-"

"I get it, Madmax. You're playing it cool."

A shout was heard from inside followed by a crash. "What was that?" Mike wondered aloud.

"Nothing," she replied. "I have to go."

"Okay. But we're friends?" he asked.

"Yeah, Wheeler. Friends. Who occasionally lie. But friends."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments/kudos are highly appreciated. :)


End file.
